


Brighter Than a Thousand Suns

by DerAdlerdesMondes



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Rebelcaptain - Freeform, Slow Burn, communication issues, fest traditions dictate women propose
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-15 20:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9255923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DerAdlerdesMondes/pseuds/DerAdlerdesMondes
Summary: They survive Scariff but Cassian and Jyn need to take stock of their relationship. Problem is Fest traditions are the reverse of Correlian norms.Cassian waits for Jyn to make a move pining after her, Jyn is too afraid he is going to leave her.What will it take for them to get together? Perhaps a mission gone wrong? Perhaps a certain repaired droid to clue a clueless Captain in.Starts from Scariff.





	1. Tsunami

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there reader! My plan for this story is to go through the motions of getting off scariff and then delve into the mutual pining hurt/comfort components in later chapters!
> 
> English is not my first language so pardon the mess. This is based off the prompt here:
> 
> http://balthazarrocks.tumblr.com/post/155427282548/mnemehoshiko-headcanon-that-its-traditional-on

_“Your father would be proud of you.”_

 

These were the last words she heard from Cassian as the light across the horizon shone brighter than a thousand suns. The tremor underneath them belied the oncoming waves fast approaching them. They were heralded by the arrival of a gust of wind, blasting them with extreme heat. Jyn could only clutch tighter into Cassian’s shirt, digging her face into the nook of his arms. For that one moment, she had the selfish thought of wanting this motley crew more than anything else. But she knew that their sacrifice made it so other could have the life that she fleetingly imagined with Cassian.

She kept her eyes closed as the waves swept onto the beach, threatening to push them apart. She gasped at the sudden splash that dipped them under the water, and opened her eyes watched as they floated away. Jyn was surprised that they weren’t dead.

“Jyn!” Cried Cassian. He visibly struggled to stay close to her, his injuries having sapped his strength. Jyn recalled her fleeting thoughts and redoubled her determination. “Cassian!” She responded, never had she ever thought she would be in this situation care about someone like this. But he didn’t leave her behind, and neither would she. Her hands wrapped further around Cassian, clinging to him for dear life as they moved through the forest.

She didn’t know how long the roar of the waves carried them through the jungle, but she held a death grip on him for each time they went under the waves she feared it would be the last time she saw him. Jyn stiffened with each hit on each tree, and winced in sympathy each time Cassian groaned. They moved in silence. There was nothing to talk about in these hectic moments, besides it was much too loud to think she thought. Thinking meant contemplating their uncertain fate amidst the waves that threatened to fill her lungs with water.

She kept her wits about her, worried about Cassian. Over time, she could tell from his weakening grip, that he was bobbing in and out of consciousness. His head rested on her shoulders, and she tried to keep it out of the water despite the violence of the waves. She kept an eye out ahead, looking for somewhere to catch themselves. She knew they had to find group before they were swept out back into the sea on the other end of the island. If that even came to be. She furrowed her brow in determination when she spotted what appeared to be a grey Imperial building jotting out of the water in stark contrast to the flooded surroundings. _It must have been the tallest thing around besides the com tower,_ she wondered. Regardless, it was her new goal. It seemed to comfortably sit with a flat plane above the raging waters around it. It would be a shelter as good as they were going to get.

Jyn angled her body, so she could take the brunt of their maneuvering tactics. This meant working backwards but it was better than using Cassian’s battered body. Using a tree, she grabbed what vines that were in reach and attempted to cross with the current flowing past them. Soaked to the bone, and with Cassian essentially becoming dead weight meant this was a feat of strength. With one arm struggling to keep him up and the other pulling their way across, she made progress.

Her fingers would seize and spasm, as she finally got to the grey building. She could only whimper under the strain of fighting both the new river and hoisting Cassian over. With a delighted grin, congratulating herself on getting his fat ass over, she followed him.

Jyn rolled onto her back, breathing harshly and stared back up at the stars. The Imperials had left, the little dots that streaked across the sky Signaling FTL flight. With a breather, she closed her eyes and pushed off with her elbows to a sitting position. Cassian laid beside her, unconscious. She could only curse her current situation, no bacta no med kit to help her out. She tilted her head over his chest, confirming his heart beat and his soft breath against her cheek made her blush but also flooded her heart with relief. A warmth against the cold that was biting her bones. She bit her lip once more, a nervous tic, at the sight of the blaster wound on his shoulder. It looked ugly and needed to be patched.

She was soaked, he was soaked. The sun was baking them both. At least it wasn’t winter she conceded. She sat on her knees, scanning the horizon yet always keeping Cassian within her peripheral vision. He displayed no other external signs of injury which she knew from her time with Saw that meant internal injuries. Silent and lethal killers. There were supplies streaming past them….bodies…Rebel and Imperial. It was a graveyard, the silence that fell over this place was eerie. Her mother told her to trust in the Force, did the Force will this? Were they alive amidst so much death because it willed it?

She found that she didn’t care so long as Cassian was alive.

Jyn watched the waters with trepidation, watching for gun belts…dead medics…She also watched for survivors. But she knew logically that there wouldn’t be many. Then again logically this was supposed to be in all sense of the word an unsanctioned suicide mission. It took about an hour in the blazing sun, but she had fished several bodies, and stacked up a half Jyn sized pile of emptied backpacks and random assortment of gear. She managed to salvage several packs of bacta bandages, numerous ammo packs, weapons and importantly food and water rations. Jyn tore through them all separating out what she needed and did not.

Most importantly, enough materials were gathered to make a make shift shelter and to patch Cassian to the best of her ability.. Bits of clothing here, boxes here, and whatnot. She grunted as she dragged Cassian under it, sheltering him from the sun. Part of her wondered if perhaps it was wise considering the wet clothing. Jyn was however more worried that he hadn’t woken yet but it was all she could do beside dab bacta onto the wound and wrap it. Jyn sat next to him, and nibbled on some of the rations. She knew her adrenaline would wear off soon. Minutes passed with the same background noise, and she sighed softly to herself. Jyn laid down next to Cassian, curling up next to him. They were sharing body heat since they were soaked she thought to herself. No other ulterior reason why she was digging into his chest. Soon she found her eyes closing and she drifted off to sleep.

Jyn was roused from sleep when she felt shuffling beside her. She groaned and cracked her eyes open. _Cassian!_ She sat up, sitting next to a sitting Cassian.

“We are alive.” He breathed, hissing in pain when he moved. His face in shock, as he absorbed his surroundings.

Jyn nodded solemnly. “We are….I don’t know how.” She whispered.

“Have you seen anyone else?” He asked. His military intelligence training acting in gear. His hands hovering over his sides _. Possibly where he was in pain_ , she thought.

“No.” She sadly replied. She kept thinking about everyone else. The rebels who defied command to go with them…Rogue one itself. This was not at all like Saw’s rebels. This…this was as close as she was going to admit it to home. She remembered _“Welcome Home.”._

“We need a way off this planet. People will know about this battle, likely scavengers and looters will follow suit.” Cassian added to the quiet conversation. There was a silence over them, Jyn wanted to grab his hand and squeeze it in support. She wasn’t sure what their current state was now. She wasn’t sure what he thought of her. Was the beach a last hurrah or did he genuinely hold feelings for her? Would he leave her when they returned to a rebel base? She wasn’t a spy. He was. She remembered how she disliked him in the beginning.

_“Trust goes both ways.”_

_“Trust in the Force.”_


	2. Rocks Fall Everyone Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They survived the tidal waves...now they have to find a way off the planet. However, that isn't as easy as it sounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot what the name of the Corporal is from the Novelization. I just threw together what I remembered.

As they talked status, the waters began to slowly recede. There was definition to their building, and the landscape was revealed as though someone pulled the tablecloth off. Though the waters sleuthed back into their starting position at the beach, their danger did not. This was the only thing keeping Cassian and Jyn from jumping in so as to not be stranded on top of the building.

“I can’t see any windows.” Jyn yelled out as she leaned over the edge, one hand holding on to an antenna as the other crawled along the edge.  Cassian had volunteered to help but she quickly disabused him of that notion. Her worried eyes could see how he was curling on himself, hiding his injuries from her. Or possibly out of habit.

“We might as well wait then. With the rations you have collected we should be fine.” He whispered, his voice straining. He seemed mellow, possibly the adrenaline crash catching up to him. Possibly worse. Jyn didn’t want to think of that at the moment. Right now survival was at stake and that she was good at. She survived on her own and she will survive here.

Cassian had a good point, though she didn’t personally like it. He probably knew they were sitting ducks up here.

“So we are stuck here.” She finally said , harrumphing, and sliding next to him.

“Yes, though I imagine we won’t have to wait long.” He replied, chuckling and gently smiling at something he saw. Jyn couldn’t help but return the smile, but she wondered what he found so amusing.

“Do you think any Imperials in the tower would have survived that?” She asked, gesturing with a flick of her hand at the water. Though it was ultimately their savior.

“They probably were sheltered from the water…” He started before Jyn interrupted him.

“I want to go back in.” She declared, her gaze intent and determined.

Cassian opened his mouth as though to protest but eventually nodded.

Jyn knew he was worried, and had prepared a line of argument to support going back in. So his easy concession was a surprise for her. She gazed out at the horizon, and then back on the building they were on. Getting down would be difficult without finding a window or a ladder.

“Might be useful if there was an indoor hangar.” He agreed, closing his eyes and grunting in pain as he laid against the boxes once more. The exhaustion was clearly evident on his face. 

An hour passed, Jyn once more groaning in the heat. They had not talked much after that, but they wondered if others were alive. Cassian seemed to have been suffering, judging by how he had passed out once more under their makeshift shelter. She needed to get him help.

Her drenched clothes were both a curse and a blessing. It made her sweat feel sticky, and yet it did provide some comfort. Eventually, she noted the waters were gone and gazed below. It was effectively a five story drop to the ground. While it seemed like the waves had washed sand all over the pristine Imperial steel pathways, it was very noticeably still not a safe drop.

She bit her bottom lip and snaked a glance at Cassian, before searching the edges for drops that were safe enough. What was obvious was the side facing the sea was a no go, what with debris and a steep drop. Instead she glanced to the back, the back of the building had a maze of what seemed like ventilation shafts. This was a risk she was going to take. She searched the various assortment of gear that she had found when she did her fishing expedition and found nothing that she could leave Cassian with to indicate that she was going  _ now _ . Though she did find several intact and very much functioning blasters.

It killed her but she knew she wouldn’t be back before he woke, and she couldn’t face his disappointed face. Reluctantly, Jyn shook Cassian awake.

“Wh..at…” He mumbled, before his reflexes snapped him awake. He propped himself back up, Jyn feeling guilty with each hiss she heard from him.

“Going to go check out the com tower. “ She stated out, handing him one of the blasters she found while snapping an Imperial holster to her waist.

“I’m going with you.” He replied rather insistently.

“How? You need to rest Cassian. Beside the blaster wound... We don’t know how badly you are hurt. You fell!” She ached as she said that, remembering how she felt when she saw his still form down there. She did not want to make it worse no matter how much he insisted. She was still in shock over surviving what was thrown at Jedha and she would like to keep this whole surviving thing going thank you very much.

“…and going alone is a great plan isn’t it? Besides I think it’s only my ribs.” He countered, gripping the blaster tightly.

“So the several times I saw you pass out was totally your ribs and not the nasty blaster wound on your shoulder?” She chided, knowing he was diminishing his injuries.

“Look Cassian, I am simply going to go look. I promise I will be back in a few hours.” She grit her teeth, prepared to punch him in the face if she had to. She knew he was in no shape to go ventilation jumping with her. Getting him down would be another time, another hour. A mess in itself.

Jyn watched him carefully. She knew Cassian was no fool, he was one of the Rebellion’s best intelligence officers.

After what seemed like an eternity passed he spoke:

“You promise me. “ He finally sighed, eying her with  _ that look _ .

“I promise.” She replied. It felt odd to promise to come back when everyone she had ever interacted with before Rogue One left her or never came back. But she nodded, turning to face the side with all the ventilation shafts. Steeling herself, if she looked back to Cassian she knew she would do something she would regret. So instead Jyn carefully inched her way down. Her footsteps echoing into the vents.

Jyn dearly hoped no one was paying attention.

After a perilous descent she was finally on the ground and racing off. Her first priority was to find out if Bodhi and the crew made it. She gathered by the watermarks, that practically everything in this area was swept away by the waves. Hopefully the shuttle was protected by the water.

Amidst the leaves, Jyn crouched close to the ground. Her blaster at the ready. Though she doubted anyone would be walking around, she knew if they survived perhaps others did. It took her a good walk, passing by trees marred by conventional blaster fire and craters by AT&AT turboblaster fire. The closer she got, the more the devastation increased. She shuddered as she passed by Death Trooper corpses, dangling in the trees and buried in the dirt. Hesitant to turn even her back on them.

Eventually, she reached where they had landed. There was a giant crater outside of the shuttle but with the exception with scruff marks and flakes of damage, it seemed intact. She could hear shouting within it and random banging. Her hopes were filled when she saw figures in the cockpit but couldn’t make out who it was. The only consolation that she had, was that she saw rebel clothing.

Jyn edged closer and banged on the shuttle cargo door. She swiftly retreated to one of the toppled boxes and un-holstered her blaster. She was prepared to fight for this shuttle. There may be individuals with rebel clothing but Jyn knew to never trust appearances…

The gangway lowered to reveal several Rebellion soldiers, and out in front came Corporal Torsk.

“Torsk!” She cried, holstering her blaster once more and walking up to him. The Corporal whipped his head around and grinned at her. “Holy shit Erso! We thought you guys were goners!” He exclaimed.

“We did too , Torsk. We did too. I am surprised you didn’t hightail it out already.” She commented, following Torsk back inside in a light jog, scanning each of the Rebel faces for Chirruit and Baze, and Bodhi.

“Everything got soaked, including the engines, with that massive tidal wave crashing through. Thankfully we were already packing everyone back into the shuttle by the time that rolled around. The Stormtroopers were evacuating and it was the opening we needed to grab most of our injured.” Torsk looked quite animated, his hands reenacting the waves coming through, and seemed  relieved seeing her.

“What about Baze and Chirruit?” She asked, having finished her inspection and not finding any of the faces she wanted to see.

“They are here. Critically wounded. The medics are tending them near the cockpit. We have to get them into bacta tanks soon. Bodhi is working on that but its anyone’s guess.” He added, twitching his nose in mental frustration. Jyn breathed again, her shoulders relaxing upon hearing her friends were okay or at least tended to.

“Cassian?” He asked gingerly, and Jyn knew what he assumed.

“He’s alive, propped up on a building.“ Jyn sighed, feeling guilty again for leaving him, while leaning against the walls of the shuttle.

“Jyn?” Squeaked a voice, before Bodhi’s head popped from above.

“Bodhi!” Jyn threw him a grin, and Bodhi blushed but returned the grin as he climbed down draped in engine grease.

“You won’t believe what Bodhi did! Dude was crazy! A grenade came into the shuttle and Bodhi just chucked it out! He saved us all!” Torsk grinned, patting on the bewildered Bodhi’s back.

“Yeah, uh, I mean. I just reacted. Nothing special. I’m just the Pilot” Bodhi sheepishly replied.

Jyn raised an eyebrow and smiled softly. “But our pilot.” She added.

“So Bodhi , I hear we got engine problems.” She steered the conversation down a more practical path, after all Cassian was all alone and her chest was filled with this longing to go back to him. A stinging worry, bloomed within her, that she had left him to die to some Imperial meandering about. She banished these thoughts, just like her Cassian knew how to survive. He survived with the Rebellion since he was but a child. She also had the sense that the Rebellion wasn’t stellar on extraction plans, and probably willing to abandon operatives. They simply didn’t have the resources she imagined to be able to do such things. This was why it was important to her that they rescue him and get off planet.

Bodhi nodded feverishly, his hands fidgeting and his eyes twitching but then he perked up as though he had a light bulb moment.

“Yes, yes! We lost some key electronics but…I was thinking… We were thinking. Maybe the Imperials have replacements inside?” Bodhi suggested, digging out of his pockets a green sort of device with gold linings across it. It was obviously soaked to the bone.

“If we can replace this cross protector…” He pointed to it with his free hand. “We can take off. There’s no override for it. We need a copy or else we can’t take off. “ He was adamant about this and looked at Jyn and Torsk with a pang.

 

“Okay…then. We can do it. Torsk…you have to stay here to protect them. The fewer people running around at this point the less likely any surviving Imperials realize there are Rebels around.” Jyn turned to face Torsk, relaying her thoughts. Truth be told she didn’t want anyone else to be hurt because of her. These people came because of her words. Jyn wanted to make sure they got home as sort of repayment for their faith in her. It felt so strange to have people relying on her, much less for her to rely on someone else.

“Okay Erso. We’re counting on you.” Torsk dug into his pockets, giving himself a pat down as he searched for a small device before handing it to her.

“This is a code cracker. It  _ is _ relatively successful in hacking low level Imperial security measures but nothing fancy I’m afraid.”

“Thanks anyway.” Jyn replied, nodding, taking the offer of a dry jacket from another Rebel and sliding hers off. She never knew it felt so good to be somewhat dry. Her shirt was still a wrecked mess but it was something.

Jyn memorized the green device Bodhi had been waving about, before walking down the ramp. She checked her blaster settings, and then rushed to the cargo building hangar doors. They were soaked which suggested that they were shut when the water struck. She scanned the sides, looking for panels. The concern was that the panels themselves would likely have been soaked and require a manual override. Thankfully she was adept at being slippery, Imperial security be damned. Mentally thanking Saw’s training, she kneeled down when she saw a defunct computerized side panel.

Her fingers cracked the protective casing, and dug into the wiring. The wiring was a color blind man’s nightmare. Every color of the rainbow was represented and to her relief were quite old. Scariff was not on the Empire’s top list for renovations or upgrading. She recalled how the disk she had to carry to the top of the tower were huge. Dinosaurs compared to what was current. She cracked the door with ease, sliding into the now empty bay. She traveled quietly, keeping low and her blaster at the ready.

The problem for her is that she had no idea where she would find the device that Bodhi wanted. Worse, what if it was connected to something else? She wasn’t an adept pilot, or an engineer. Jyn breathed.  _ Take it blow by blow. _

A pin could drop and it would echo in these hallways, it would echo into her own eardrum. The silence that permeated within unnerved Jyn. Only hours ago she was dressed in a wolf’s clothing and prowling for the correct room with K2SO and Cassian. That was live, with noises and shouts and machine whirring. Now it was gone. She was on her guard, loath to let it lull her to a false sense of security.

A thought came to her. She wondered if she could…find…him. Jyn pumped the brakes on her original mission, tracing their footsteps from earlier. She recalled how K2SO as a matter of fact told them exactly how many guards there were and exactly what were their odds. It is then that she turned the corner and saw him.

He was hunched over the console and she could see how his body was riddled with blaster holes. Jyn bit her lip, knowing how much K2SO meant to Cassian. Also, admittedly she had developed a fondness for his sarcastic cracks. Her fingers traced the droid’s hardware, trying to understand the damage that was done. Cassian would know more. Cassian would know how to fix him. 

 

From what she saw, it appeared that the majority of the blaster fire was localized onto his chest component and his limbs. She caught her breath as her inspection carried to his dangling arms, he still had the blaster she gave him. Jyn to yank the blaster out of his hand, but it was in a fierce death grip. She finally conceded after several grunts, cries and grumbles. However, she shook her head with a chuckle and a small tinge of pride. Droids didn’t have facial expressions but she could recall the pregnant pause from K2SO when she gave him the blaster. It must have been droidic equivalent of shock.

 

Still, there must be something she could do. He was too heavy for her to just lug around. She thought back to when K2SO was downloading the schematics of the place. It seemed that his processing components were in his head. Would it be wildly stereotypical and probably unsafe to stick critical components in the head? Yes. But she gambled on that. She didn’t know if she was fortunate or unfortunate in this but the neck site of K2SO was damaged. She thought about sheering the rest of it off and trotting off to find a new body for him. That way he could help her identify the parts room. She was utterly lost in this Imperial maze. 

 

Good news, they already had knocked out one of his cousins to actually get the plans and she knew where to find him.

 

Getting the head off was difficult, but manageable. But  _ holy force the head is heavy! _ Mentally reminded herself to tell K2SO to go on a diet, she could imagine the rapt sarcastic crack that would follow.  _ Perhaps you should exercise more. _

 

She had to lift with her legs, and it used up both her hands which made her particularly  _ vulnerable.  _ She felt naked without a blaster at the ready. Thankfully, no matter how many times she was thankful, no Imperials were around...even in this high security area. She imagined the looming Death Star started a fire under every man, woman and droid to get off the planet. Which was to her advantage.

 

The little closet they had hidden the other droid was closed off from the main area, and the droid was still there. She was no droid mechanic but she recalled how K2SO established a connection with the  _ other  _ droid. She fumbled around in the room, turning it inside out and dumping drawers onto the floor. Eventually she found something similar to that. At least it  _ looked _ similar. She fiddled with K2SO’s head and found a socket, and plugged the cord into it. Then she mimicked how they plugged in the other droid. 

 

She wasn’t sure if it worked, but she heard a whirring sound from the head. Good noise or bad noise? Time to find out. 

 

Several beeps, and with much intense waiting later the uncompromised droid stirred to life. Jyn gasped in surprise as she was sitting down in a nearby computer console trying to manually figure this parts room business. Her hands with practiced ease drew her blaster. It was a tense moment as the droid turned its head, its hands flexing and pulling out the cord that connected it to the head. It stood up, and stared at her before speaking.

 

“Hello, Jyn Erso.” He paused before continuing. “The odds of you succesfully surviving your retreat and then to return to rescue me was only .1%. Congratulations.” 

 

Jyn could only gape and wondered just how lucky she was that bashing things fixed everything.

 

“Yeah, well Cassian would have thrown a fit if he knew I had come in and didn’t bother to rescue his best man.” She grinned back at him, holstering her blaster.

 

“Now come on big guy, I need help finding a green device called a cross protector or some shit.” She said, unclasping her backup blaster and tossing it to him. He caught it with robotic precision as expected but....then brought it up to his vision sensors and began to methodically check it out.

 

“What? Something wrong?” She asked wondering if there was something wrong with it.

“This blaster is functioning normally.” He reported, finishing his inspection.

 

“You’d think I would toss you a nonfunctioning blaster? I saved your shiny metal ass, wouldn’t want it dent the new paint job! Now lets haul ass to the parts room. We need to find it to go rescue Cassian.” She laughed, before she started walking. Her bluster hid her concern for Cassian. He was  _alone._

 

“Obtaining weapons from Imperial sources may lead to unfortunate results if not properly inspected." He began but then continued.

"The parts room is three floors down, separated by 23 security barriers.” He reported as he lumbered after her, and then added. “Building sensors detect life forms. The odds of the individuals being Imperials is 78%.” 

 

“Well then, let’s go say hello.” She smirked, mashing her fingers on the elevator button in frustration and impatience.

 

“The elevator has been called.” He informed her. “Multiple presses of the button is futile.”

 

“I know K2. I know.” Jyn raised an eyebrow, chuckling at his observation.


	3. 'Cause if you're not really here; Then I don't want to be either

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our fabled heroes finally get off Scariff!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cassian Andor Spotify playlist is amazing. Black & Gold is my favorite right next to Spirits.

By the tenth loop of elevator music, Jyn was reminded why she had originally wanted to punch K2 in the face.

“Our odds of success are 82%. We have the element of surprise.” He robotically reported, giving “helpful” tactical advice.

“Oh really? Gee and I thought elevators were  _ not _ very noticeably loud and tend to announce their arrival.” Jyn rolled her eyes and nursed the bridge of her nose.

“Information has been received. Assessment has been revised. We now have a 45% chance of success.” 

“Just...remember  _ where _ to point the blaster K2. Try not to get killed...I’m not exactly sure where I could find  _ another _ Imperial droid that is your exact model in this place.” She said, crouching down in a corner, and readying her blaster. 

The elevator had a bit of cover which Jyn used to her advantage. Perhaps if the Imperials saw only K2 they would be less likely to open fire upon them. 

She heard a ding and the doors parted, and on cue, blaster fire began to rifle through the elevator.  _ So much for that plan. _

Jyn bit on her tongue to keep back a scream which turned into a whimpered mess, when one of the bolts ripped through her shoulder, sending excruciating pain throughout her body. She collapsed as far back as she could, gasping in quick breaths before she grit her teeth and relaxed herself like Saw taught her. She took a deep breath and scrambled to join K2 as he neatly and efficiently eliminated the Imperial forces. Peaking out of the elevator cover she had, she didn’t see any armored personnel instead it looked like a rag tag group of people left behind. This was a major boon to them for Stormtroopers would have been enormously far more difficult to dispatch with their armor which shielded them to some extent from blaster fire. 

“You are wounded. “ He mechanically reported once more. “You should consider investing in non-flesh protection.” He added, before returning to his task of snipping Imperials who were by now running away. She hadn’t expected for such loose resistance considering the welcome party. She stepped over each body, rifling their contents for medpacks. Thankfully she found one, and sloppily patched her shoulder. It was a stop gap she knew but the adrenaline laced in it would help keep her up while they moved.

While advancing with K2, who had no concept of cover, she scanned each enormous door after door for anything labeled “Parts Room”. Each door was another door in the ordered, grey, indiscrete labyrinth of more doors. With no markings...at all. How did Imperials in their famed organization skills find anything in this place?

The hallways they traversed were peppered with boxes, and hastily dropped equipment and random carts. All signs of sudden chaos. No one was told about the space station. 

Suddenly K2 stopped, and Jyn was so absorbed with the littered mess that she ran into a paused K2.

“This is the Parts Room. Security clearance is required.” He said, looking down at her. “Physical force will not assist in opening this door.”

Jyn wanted to strangle him but rubbed her forehead instead, she remembered Torsk’s little device and dug it out of her pocket using her free arm. She didn’t have full range of motion on her injured arm, or at least was not enthusiastic about moving that arm. 

She pointed the device to the door panel, having not a clue how to use it. The device suddenly lit up, exploding in a disco inferno of colors before doing a series of beeps and finally dinged as the door opened leading into a storage locker like area with many many drawers.

“K2, is it too much to hope that you  _ know _ which drawer contains what we need?” She asked hopefully, not exactly wanting to spend more time than necessary here.

“That is correct. The drawer you seek is Drawer 42-B.” He reported, stepping forward with clanking sounds and using his metallic arms to reach almost to the top of the pile before bringing down a specific drawer. 

Jyn looked within and was pleasantly surprised to see the entire drawer consisted of what they needed. She grabbed a bunch of them and stuffed them into the pouch she had nicked off one of the dead Imperials.

“Great, let’s go. I don’t to spend another moment here. “ She shuddered, leading the way back to where they had come from. A thought emerged out her, Cassian would be upset to see her wounded. 

They arrived back at the shuttle unceremoniously, but Jyn knew when she shot down an Imperial droid in Jedha that in all likelihood Torsk would ruin her good work by shooting first and asking questions later.

She told K2 to hang back before knocking once more on the shuttle door. Moments later it dropped to reveal Bodhi and Torsk. Bodhi looked absolutely exhausted, with black circles around his eyes. Torsk mirrored him and she assumed they were concerned whether she could find the damn thing. 

Jyn held up the device, grinning, and she could see the hope returning to their eyes. Bodhi dashed forward, snatching it out of her hand. She felt good doing this. She felt good fighting for a cause she could get behind, and with a home she could return to. 

“Okay Torsk, no shooting K2, okay?” She warned, before gesturing to the droid to come forward. Torsk nodded, letting his blaster rifle dangle by the strap he had on his back and tilting his head.

“Not a scratch eh?” He chuckled, gesturing to her shoulder. “Come on, let the medics have a look.” 

Jyn followed him back in and awkwardly sat in what little room remained. The shuttle was packed with bodies and people. She then watched as the medics paused their attention on others to swarm all over her. Watching out of her peripheral, she noticed how Bodhi crammed the little device into a socket and did a little cheer and jig before rushing to the cockpit.

“Hey, Bodhi! Don’t forget Cassian!” She yelled after him, prepared to bat away everyone to charge the cockpit. The medics were not pleased with her incessant moving and she cried out when they dabbed antiseptic bacta onto the wound and patched as best as they could.

Bodhi had paused and nodded before unclipping something off his belt and tossing it to her. She almost missed, but leaned forward and grabbed it with her free arm. It was a communicator.

_ “Jyn? Can...can you hear me?”  _ Bodhi’s voice squeaked out of the little communicator.

“Yes, I can hear you. “ Jyn said urgently, very keen to get the shuttle up in the air and to Cassian.

“I left Cassian very close to here, on top of a building... “ She trailed off, she tried to be more descriptive but the medics had given her something and she could feel herself getting a bit drowsy…. Or shock was finally catching up to her. Meanwhile her heart hammered away anxiously, uncertain of Cassian’s fate.

It didn’t take long for Bodhi to find Cassian, and for the medics to rush out once more in a hilarious parade. They brought him back in, and Jyn’s heart lept to her throat. She formed her hands into fists in frustration as they brought him back, unconscious once more. She snaked her way to him, sitting next to him. Her hand drifted to his, and she gently squeezed it. The thought of him dying  _ because she left him alone _ , ate at her consciousness. Her fault.

The medics poked and prodded him, and she understood only half the jargon they were tossing around. Part of her wanted to know, and part of her didn’t. Cassian was home for her. She didn’t want to lose hope in that she would have home to come back to. Even if he survived, this was her last chance to really get close to him. She didn’t know...as her thoughts wandered about once more….if he really….meant his actions on Scariff. Would he...leave her?

The shuttle rumbled into the air once more, and soon the familiar hum of hyperspace surrounded her once more.

\------

_ Earlier. _

Cassian watched with apprehension as Jyn jumped from vent to vent. She was right, they needed materials...they needed to find a way out. He knew this logically, and he also knew she was perfectly capable of being the scrappy street kid and fighting her way through. He also was aware however, how she was  _ compromising him. _ As K2 put it. He couldn’t pull the trigger on Galen  _ because of her _ . He dropped the rebel to protect her from her foolish altruistic decision to rescue a child,  _ because of her. _

20 years in the Rebellion and she is the one who was untangling him. Cassian moaned as the heat baked into him, he knew he had busted ribs. But the blood trickling from his mouth suggested much worse. He had struggled to hide it from Jyn, he didn’t want her to be distracted. Yet he was. It was with a pang in his heart, all through these past few hours that Jyn was something more. He wanted to stay with her. Cassian settled in for a wait, drinking some of the water and eating some of the rations Jyn had left him. It was with great difficulty that he downed them. His chest felt full and he would have violent coughing fits that would steal his energy from him. He didn’t notice when he passed out.

The next thing he knew, he was on a cold surface. He shuddered under a blanket. A blanket? Cassian cracked his eyes open and noticed they were in the shuttle. There was a weight on his side, he turned to it and a smile escaped from his lips. Jyn fast asleep on his arm. His smile turned into a frown, however, when he noticed bandages on her arm. Why was he not surprised? His eyes scanned the rest of her, noting cuts and bruises...but overall she seemed...fine. What took his breath away was the heavy clank that came to his other side. 

“Hello, Cassian.” The robotic voice echoed in the confines of the shuttle.

“K2?” He breathed incredulously, coughing once more. 

“Jyn was successful in obtaining a new body for this unit.” He replied as though of way of explanation.

“Jyn?” He rasped, finding little strength to speak much more. The adrenaline that had been keeping him going was running through. He had a new emotion though towards Jyn, a sense of awe. He looked down at Jyn again and thought to himself, he would like to stay with her. It was both comforting and discomforting at the same time. His...relationships. Have never been relationships. He was a master negotiator, interrogator and manipulator. There was a  _ reason _ why Draven relied on him, why the Alliance relied on his skills as an intelligence officer.

This was new in every sense of the word. He would like to try.

\-----------


End file.
